Yarn temperature and humidity control



April 28, 1970 o. LIPPUNER 3,508,343

YARN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROL Filed April 4, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

0544 [p pa/v5? B Y 4/214 MTQE April 28, 1970 f o. LIPPUNER 3,508,343

' YARN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROL Filed April 4, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7- Ti O 0% x i] F :L S. I INVENTOR. 06/641? [/PPMYER United States Patent Int. Cl. F26b 13/00 U.S. Cl. 34-156 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Effecting high heat and/ or moisture transfer in rapidly longitudinally moving yarn by introducing oscillations therein by passing same through turbulent region of rapidly moving gas at desired climatic conditions.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for influencing the temperature and humidity of yarn or thread-like elements by a current of air, and is useful, for example, in the treatment of textile yarns.

In the texturing of yarns which consist at least partially of thermoplastic material, the yarns may be heated to a plastic condition, deformed while plastic, and cooled so that the deformation is fixed. Heating may be achieved, for example, by means of hot air or by passing the yarn over a heated surface; and cooling is usually effected by passing the yarn a given distance through ambient air, say at room temperature.

However, with the introduction of high speed texturing machines, it is apparent that the heating or cooling.

distances through which the rapidly advancing yarn has to move become relatively long in order to obtain the desired plastification and solidification. In this connec tion, it is known to enhance the heating and cooling effects, where hot air and cool air are used to heat and cool, respectively, by moving the air relatively to the yarn, preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the yarn. Nevertheless, with the high running speeds desired today, the foregoing measures are not entirely satisfactory in that the heating and cooling obtained thereby are not sufiiciently intense to ensure sufficient plastification of solidification.

Accordingly, the present invention contributes a method and apparatus which eliminates the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages and permits a high degree of heating and cooling of yarn advancing at high speed through a relatively short distance.

In essence, by invention is based upon the concept of causing the yarn to oscillate while advancing through a current of air or gas at given temperature and humidity conditions, the current of air or gas moving transversely to the direction of movement of the yarn. Actually, I prefer to cause the air or gas to move through a narrow slit or opening in a flow chamber in front of which the yarn passes, and I provide guide means for assuring correct positioning of the yarn as it passes the slit. I also induce turbulence in the air or gas entering the slot so as to cause the moving yarn to vibrate in the path of moving air thus to enhance the heat transfer from or to the yarn, as the case may be.

To this. end, I prefer to position an elongate bar or flag adjacent the opening, or I may utilize several such bars or flags, so located as to induce turbulence in the moving air and oscillation in the yarn.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus according to the present invention with a yarn end indicated in chain lines;

FIG. 2 is a side view of one form of part the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating details of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the apparatus of the previous figures; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a suction conduit 10 which may extend along the entire length of the frame of a machine having a number of yarn treating stations. One end of the conduit (the right end or as viewed) is connected to the suction end of an encased blower or fan 11. The conduit is also formed with a number of openings 12, each of which communicates with a suction chamber 14 so that air is led through the suction chambers and the conduit to the blower.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, suction chambers 14 comprise a body 15 extending in the direction of movement of the. yarn to be processed and tapered inwardly in a direction away from the conduit 10 to provide a diffusing effect for the air entering same through a narrow slit-like opening 16 and a nozzle 17 at its connection to the conduit 10. Each chamber 14 is positioned below a corresponding heating device 19, and is reduced in its vertical length in a direction toward the conduit (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The inlet ends of the chambers 14 may be mutually joined, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, by a plurality of approximately equally spaced traverse bolts 20; and it has been found advantageous to provide these bolts with recesses 21 for guiding the moving yarn. Actually, while only one recess is shown formed in each bolt, it will be understood that the respective bolts may, in fact, be formed with several such recesses so that each chamber may accommodate a plurality of yarns moving in parallel to each other. At least that part of the bolts over which the yarn runs should either be formed of very hard material or should be highly polished to minimize friction; or the contact surface may be covered with a coating of an artificial composition of low superficial energy such as fluoro polymer to prevent size on the yarn from adhering to the surface; or the surface may be chrome plated for easy cleaning.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there is mounted on at least one of the surfaces of the inlet end of each chamber 14, a flag 22 which extends approximately the full length of the inlet and which may consist simply of a piece of flat or slightly bent metal or the like. It is preferred, however, that the flag be positioned to interfere with the normal flow of air into the inlet and that it present a relatively abrupt edge in the vicinity of the yarn. As shown, it is proposed that at the inlet end of each chamber, the side pieces of 'the body 15 be curved outwardly, and the flag 22 may be afiixed tangentially to one of the curved surfaces.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a modified form of the inlet end of the chambers according to which the flag 24 is formed of a U-shaped tubular or cylindrical piece with its bight extending parallel to and adjacent the yarn. As shown, the free ends of these flags may be bolted to one of the body side pieces, and of course one or more vertically spaced flags of this type may be used with each chamber.

In operation, the blower 11 draws ambient air through the conduit 10, each opening 12 and each chamber 14. The current of air entering each chamber flows against the respective flag or flags, as the case may be, so that a rather high turbulence is produced just downstream of the flag and substantially along the longitudinal aXis of the yarn, thus inducing lateral vibrations or oscillations in the advancing yarn, the frequency of which oscillations is influenced by the yarn tension.

The traverse bolts 20 form points of junction or nodes of the oscillations, wherefore the spacing between bolts must be such as to permit sufficient oscillation therebetween when considered in light of the yarn tension and the volume and climatic conditions of the air being drawn past the yarn, and without allowing the yarn to contact either side piece of the chamber body.

Excellent results have been achieved with an oscillation frequency of the order of 20 kHz. and intense heat transfer of the yarn is obtained with ambient room air moving at considerable speed through the chamber inlets. The degree of heat transfer achieved makes texturing possible at yarn delivery speeds of the order of 150 to 200 meters per minute and more.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that I have contributed novel method and apparatus whereby high heat transfer may be achieved over a relatively short distance in respect of yarn moving longitudinally at a relatively high speed; and that other applications of my invention are possible. Thus, my present concept may be employed for heating yarn as for thermal post-treatment, for example, or in the treatment of yarns with auxiliary or finishing agents. Various means of deforming the yarn while in plastic condition are well known in the art and so are not alluded to here.

I believe that the construction and operation of my novel apparatus and method will now be understood and .4 that the advantages of my invention will be fully ated by those persons skilled in the art.

I now claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling temperature and humidity of rapidly longitudinally advancing yarn comprising; a diffuser chamber formed with a narrow inlet extending in the direction of movement of the yarn, means drawing air through said chamber and inlet, and means guiding the yarn along a path adjacent said inlet, said yarn guide means extending across said inlet at regularly spaced intervals. 7

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each guide means is formed with at least one recess for receiving and guiding a yarn.

3-. Apparatus according to claimv 2, wherein the surface of said recess is formed of a hard polished material.

4. Apparatus for influencing temperature and humidity of rapidly longitudinally advancing yarn comprising a diffuser chamber formed with a narrow inlet extending in the direction of movement of the yarn, means drawing air through said chamber and inlet, means guiding the yarn along a path adjacent said inlet, and means inducing appreciturbulence in that region of air entering the inlet through which the yarn passes.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said turbulence inducing means comprises at least one flag positioned upstream of the yarn in the air stream and terminating abruptly adjacent the yarn.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flag extends substantially the full length of the inlet.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the flag comprises a length of wire, a portion of which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the yarn.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a flag is positioned between each two guides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LLOYD L. K-ING, Primary Examiner 

